Detroit Pistons Blog – Page 57 – NBA Blog

Detroit Pistons sign Kyle Singler

The Detroit Pistons announced today that the club has signed their 2011 second round draft selection Kyle Singler to a multi-year contract. We’ll post contract details on this page later today.

“We are pleased to have Kyle Singler join our organization knowing he brings great character and skill to our team,” said Joe Dumars, President of Basketball Operations for the Detroit Pistons. “We watched him grow as a player throughout his season in Spain last year and we feel he’s going to be a great addition to our roster going forward.”

Singler spent the 2011-12 season playing overseas in Spain for both Lucentum Alicante and Real Madrid. He averaged 14.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 31.1 minutes in 10 games (all starts) for Lucentum Alicante. Singler then moved to one of the Euroleague’s top teams, Real Madrid, where he averaged 7.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 20.3 minutes in 46 games (38 starts). He helped Real Madrid reach the ACB finals before losing to Barcelona. Singler shot 50.4% from the field while playing for Real Madrid and shot over 40% from three-point range while playing for both teams.

Singler was selected by Detroit with the 33rd pick in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-8 forward played four seasons at Duke University where he averaged 16.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 148 career games (tying a school record). A native of Medford, Oregon, Singler tied a career-high 30 points (5-5 3FG) in a homecoming game against Oregon at the Rose Garden in Portland on 11/27/10. As a junior, he led the Blue Devils to a NCAA Championship by averaging 16.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 37 games. He recorded 19 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in the 2010 NCAA Championship game vs. Butler and tallied 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists vs. West Virginia in the semifinals to earn Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four.

Detroit Pistons sign rookie Andre Drummond

The Detroit Pistons announced today that the club has signed first round draft choice Andre Drummond to a multi-year contract.

All players selected in the first round are guaranteed to receive a contract. So, this signing is standard and was expected.

Drummond, who was an early-entry candidate for the 2012 NBA Draft and selected by the Pistons with the ninth pick, averaged 10.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 2.7 blocks last season as a freshman for the University of Connecticut. In 34 games, he shot a team-high 53.8% from the field and ranked third in blocks (2.7) in the Big East Conference. The 6-11, 279-pound center recorded a season-high 24 points (11-12 FG), eight rebounds and five blocks vs. Holy Cross (12/18). Drummond also earned two Big East Big East Rookie of the Week honors last season by scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds vs. West Virginia (1/9) and 18 points (9-12 FG) with seven rebounds at Georgetown (2/1). A native of Mount Vernon, N.Y., he was rated the No. 1 high school prospect by Scout.com, No. 2 in the ESPNU Top-100 and led St. Thomas More (Conn.) to the 2011 Prep National Championship.

Pistons promote George David to assistant GM

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has promoted George David to the position of Assistant General Manager.

“We are pleased to announce the promotion of George David to Assistant General Manager,” said Joe Dumars, President of Basketball Operations. “George has played a significant role for our basketball operations team in coordinating our draft preparation, scouting, free agent analysis and administration. He will do a great job in his new position.”

Pistons will sign Ukranian center Vyacheslav Kravtsov

The Detroit Pistons have struck a verbal agreement to sign Ukranian center Vyacheslav Kravtsov to a multiyear deal, according to his agent.

“Vyacheslav intends to sign a player contract with the Pistons when the moratorium period ends,” Kravtsov’s representative, Jeff Schwartz, said Sunday night.

Pistons president Joe Dumars confirmed the negotiations in a statement Monday.

“We are engaged in negotiations with Vyacheslav Kravtsov and will enter into a player contract when the moratorium period ends,” he said in the statement.

— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com

No Ben Gordon at British Olympic training camp

Britain has lost a second NBA player for the men’s basketball tournament at the Olympic Games after Ben Gordon failed to link up with the squad at its training camp in the United States.

Britain coach Chris Spice says the guard couldn’t commit to playing for the host nation after he was traded from the Detroit Pistons to the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday.

Spice says “It’s really disappointing as he’s a world-class player who would have made a huge difference.”

With Bobcats center Byron Mullens out because of injury, it leaves Britain with only one NBA player — Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Pistons land Andre Drummond in NBA Draft

The Detroit Pistons announced today that the club has selected Andre Drummond with the with the ninth pick in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft held on Thursday, June 28. The club also selected Khris Middleton with the 39th pick and Kim English with the 44th pick in the second round.

“We are pleased to draft Andre Drummond with the number nine pick,” said Joe Dumars, Pistons President of Basketball Operations. “He’s a player with good size and physical tools and we look forward to seeing him grow within our organization. We’re real pleased to add Khris Middleton and Kim English in the second round. They’re two young players that will give us quality depth at the wing positions.”

Drummond, a 6-11, 279-pound center from the University of Connecticut, averaged 10.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 2.7 blocks as a freshman for the Huskies. In 34 games, he shot a team-high 53.8% from the field and ranked third in blocks (2.7) in the Big East Conference. Drummond recorded a season-high 24 points (11-12 FG), eight rebounds and five blocks vs. Holy Cross (12/18). Drummond also earned two Big East Big East Rookie of the Week honors last season by scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds vs. West Virginia (1/9) and 18 points (9-12 FG) with seven rebounds at Georgetown (2/1). A native of Mount Vernon, N.Y., he was rated the No.1 high school prospect by Scout.com, No.2 in the ESPNU Top-100 and led St. Thomas More (Conn.) to the 2011 Prep National Championship.

Middleton, a 6-7 junior from Texas A&M, averaged 13.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season. In 87 career games, he averaged 11.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 rebounds as a collegian. Middleton averaged 14.4 points and 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists as a sophomore and earned Second Team All-Big 12 and All-Districts selections.

English played four seasons at Missouri and averaged 14.1 points (.521 FG), 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists as a senior. He scored in double figures in 26-of-35 games last season including seven games with 20-plus points. English shot 39.4% from beyond the arc last season and shot better than 36.0% from three-point range in each of his four years. He earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors as a senior and was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2012 Big 12 Tournament.

Bobcats, Pistons trade Corey Maggette, Ben Gordon

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has acquired forward Corey Maggette from the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for guard Ben Gordon and a future first-round draft choice.

“We welcome Corey Maggette to our organization in a transaction that provides us with a veteran scorer and defender in addition to increased roster flexibility moving forward,” said Joe Dumars, President of Basketball Operations. “We thank Ben Gordon for his commitment to our organization over the last three years and wish him the best in the future.”

Maggette, a 6-6, 225-pound forward, averaged 15.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 32 games with the Charlotte Bobcats last season. In 809 career games, the 13-year NBA veteran has averaged 16.2 points (.454 FG, .325 3FG, .823 FT), 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Maggette averaged a career-high 22.2 points in 2004-05 as a member of the L.A. Clippers and has averaged 20-plus points three times and 15-plus points nine times during his career. Drafted 13 th overall in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Seattle Supersonics, his draft rights were then traded to Orlando where he played one year before being traded to the Clippers where he played eight seasons (2000-08). Maggette also played two seasons with the Golden State Warriors (2008-10) and one with the Milwaukee Bucks (2010-11).

Gordon, 29, averaged 12.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 26.9 minutes in 52 games last season (21 starts). He scored a season-high 45 points at Denver (3/21), tying his own NBA record with nine consecutive three-point field goals made without a miss. He also made a franchise-record seven three-pointers in the second quarter vs. Philadelphia (4/26) and tied the franchise record for three-pointers in a half (7). In three seasons with the Pistons, the former Connecticut product averaged 12.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 26.8 minutes in 196 games. After tallying 15-plus points per game during five seasons in Chicago, where he was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2004-05, Gordon’s best year with Detroit came during the 2009-10 campaign when he averaged 13.8 points and 2.7 assists in 62 games.

Jason Maxiell still deciding on future with Detroit Pistons

As the Pistons continue to evaluate first-round talent for the June 28 draft, forward Jason Maxiell still hasn’t decided whether to pick up his option for next season.

Maxiell, 29, is due to make $5 million next season and is coming off one of his best seasons in years — as he stayed in shape and received consistent minutes next to Greg Monroe. He averaged 7.6 points and 5.5 rebounds after the All-Star break, at which point he became a permanent fixture in the starting lineup.

His agent, Andy Miller, said he’s still evaluating what kind of market there will be for Maxiell if he were to hit free-agency. The deadline for Maxiell to decide is June 30, the eve of free agency.

Right now, Maxiell is in his hometown of Dallas with his wife and infant son.

— Reported by Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News

Dennis Rodman to be sentenced in family court

Flamboyant former NBA star Dennis Rodman is due in family court Tuesday to be sentenced on four counts of contempt for failing to pay child support.

The retired professional basketball player will likely face a sentence of community service, said Mary Ann Noiroux, an attorney for Rodman’s ex-wife Michelle. He could also be ordered to pay more than $800,000 in back child support, Noiroux said.

”For somebody like that, they could even have him help out with a Boys and Girls Club teaching basketball,” she said.

Noiroux said Rodman also faces additional contempt charges for other missed payments, and another conviction could land him in jail.

— Reported by Amy Taxin of the Associated Press

Chauncey Billups plans to play next season

Billups has been told it will take a year for his injury to heal.

Even so, Billups, who turns 36 in September, said he will play next season.

He said returning to the Clippers is something he would like to do.

“I’m definitely going to give this a huge amount of consideration this summer. I feel like we’ve got some unfinished business a little bit,” Billups said. “You never know what direction the team is going, if they even want me back. I’ve learned not to really assume nothing.

“I don’t know if this is going to be my last time here. But if it is, I had a good time. But if not, I’m looking forward to continuing. I’m definitely going to be back playing next year. For sure and you can believe that. Believe it.”

— Reported by Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times